Cruz, Gen adidas team head to Spain

On Monday a group of 19 players departed for Madrid,
Spain, representing this year’s Generation adidas team for 10 days of training
and competitive matches in the Spanish capital. Dynamo midfielder Danny Cruz will meet the group in Spain after completing a training stint with English club Nottingham Forest.

The side will be coached by reigning MLS Coach of the Year
Schellas Hyndman of FC Dallas and will train at the Real Madrid training
facilities in Valdebebas. The trip will be highlighted by matches against
the reserve teams of Real Madrid (Dec. 2), Rayo Vallecano (Dec. 7), and Atlético
Madrid (Dec. 8).

The 19 players represent 12 MLS clubs, with FC Dallas,
the Chicago Fire, and the Philadelphia Union each contributing three players. Of the
15 players currently in the Generation adidas program, goalkeeper Josh Lambo (FC
Dallas) and midfielder Blair Gavin (Chivas USA) will skip the trip.

Cruz, 20, was drafted by the Dynamo in the third round
of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft following his sophomore year at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. He was named the
Dynamo’s Young Player of the Year in 2010 after starting a career-high 14 MLS
games and contributing two goals and two assists. Generation adidas contracts
provide the opportunity for players to leave college early and continue to
develop their soccer careers in MLS. The salaries of these players are greater
than the league minimum and the players are also provided educational funds
should they decide to return to school. Their salaries also do not count against
a club’s salary budget, allowing teams to afford them time to
develop.

While in Madrid, the players will have the opportunity to
attend a Real Madrid or Getafe La Liga match and the UEFA Champions League
group stage finale between the Merengues
and French club Auxerre at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.